§ Baroness Jegerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current purchasing power of the £1.25 blind allowance compared with its purchasing power when awarded in November 1969.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Glenarthur)The purchasing power of the £1.25 supplementary benefit blindness addition, expressed in terms of November 1969 prices, is currently 25p.
As well as the blindness addition, blind non-householders on supplementary benefit are also entitled to an additional amount to bring their supplementary benefit scale rate up to the level of that of a householder. This additional amount is worth at present £5.35 a week for those on the ordinary scale rate and £6.85 a week for those on the long-term rate. These amounts are increased automatically each year as the scale rates are uprated in line with the rise in prices.